Rick's 91 Smurf - Rekindling the Romance

[WASABI]

Wow, that's amazing work so far! I hope everything continues to improve.

[RoadsterTech]

Day 12
The bumper has been fitted and they are putting the rubber trunk gasket on to test fit the trunk lid.







I talked to the Owner. He is going to weld on some studs onto the quarter panel and tease it back into shape and he is going to open the drain holes up.

Should be done soon!

[RoadsterTech]

Well did the rebuild sound too good to be true... it was. Andy left LKQ and the final bodywork and repaint never happened. The car languished in my shop for almost 4 years.

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Fast forward to 2017. Miatapalooza was coming up and became the impetus for finally getting the car completed.

The rear end was a disaster. I removed the sound deadening tar and attacked it with a hammer. Some Judicious body filler on the rear panel and it looked okay.

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I painted the trunk with Eastwood Rubber Rust Encapsulator.

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The 94 is becoming my Parts car I stole its rear finish panel.

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She was finally ready for paint.

One of the local Facebook Miata guys worked at a restoration shop and got me in. Here are some shots of the process.

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[RoadsterTech]

Here are some more shots.
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With all this attention it should have been great. But, the Miata guy who was working on the car was replaced by a new employee and he quit. The new painter did not do a great job with the clear coat and there was some orange peal. Ugh! I needed the car for Miatapalooza before the shop could make things right, so, it goes back in a few days for a rework.

[NCGreasemonkey]

Fast forward to 2017. Miatapalooza was coming up and became the impetus for finally getting the car completed.

Hope you were one of the ones I got to shake hands with at 'Palooza!

Peace fellow Nut!

[—tsingson—]

Rick! Glad to see you are still around. Let me know if you are ever in the area again. Still got your number too.

[TNRooster3]

I believe this is the Smurf Blue car my wife went nuts for and all googly eyes for , we saw it at both the Pre-Palooza at Rick's on the River and Miatapalooza? I salute you sir for a job well done.

[TNRooster3]

I took several pix of your car at Rick's on the River and could post them here if ya want?

[RoadsterTech]

I took several pix of your car at Rick's on the River and could post them here if ya want?

I would love that!
BTW. With your wonderful car it makes me quite humble.

[RoadsterTech]

I believe this is the Smurf Blue car my wife went nuts for and all googly eyes for , we saw it at both the Pre-Palooza at Rick's on the River and Miatapalooza? I salute you sir for a job well done.

Thank you!

[TNRooster3]

Ok we went to the pre-Palooza event that Tampa Bay Miata Club had put together down at Rick's on the River and we saw several really nice cars, but my wife spotted one that she just went all googly eyes for! Why do you ask, well the 1st Miata we ever owned was a Smurf Blue '91 that we called Jellybean and my wife fell in love with that car so when she sees this one she just went crazy over it. Here are some pix we took:
Smurf Blue-1.jpg Smurf Blue-2.jpg Smurf Blue-2a.jpg Smurf Blue-3.jpg Smurf Blue-4.jpg Smurf Blue-5.jpg Smurf Blue-6.jpg

This one I think Adam took:
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These two pix we took at the MIATAPALOOZA event:
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[TNRooster3]

Here is one from Tampa Bay Miatas' Facebook post from the pre-Palooza event:
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[RoadsterTech]

Awesome pictures. Thanks for posting them.

[TNRooster3]

You are very welcome, glad we could do it.

Awesome pictures. Thanks for posting them.

[RoadsterTech]

I guess it doesn't look too bad for 310,000 miles.